Lounge seating unit and web therefor

ABSTRACT

A knock-down type seating unit comprises a pair of spaced, upwardly-extending side panels, a cross-brace detachably secured between said side panels and together with the side panels defining a seating frame. An articulated tufted web is draped over the seating frame.

United States Patent Gilbert et al.

1451 Aug. 1,1972

LOUNGE SEATING UNIT AND WEB THEREFOR Stuart John Gilbert; Karen T. Gilbert, both of Constantine, Mich.

Assignee: l-larter Corporation, Sturgis, Mich.

Filed: April 13, 1970 App1.No.: 27,505

Inventors:

US. Cl. ..297/440, 297/219, 5/357 Int. Cl ..A47c 7/00, A47c 27/00 Field of Search ..297/218-229, 440-444,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1907 Baker ..5/357 UX 11/1964 Johnson...; ..297/441UX Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam Attorney-Gordon W. Hueschen and Talivaldis Cepiritis [5 7] ABSTRACT I A knock-down type seating unit comprises a pair of spaced, upwardly-extending side panels, a cross-brace detachably secured between said side panels and together with the side panels defining a seating frame. An articulated tufted web is draped over the seating frame.

4 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures PATENTEDAUG 11912 sum 1 of 2 figure 4 figure 1 figure 5 figure 3 MT NMER V: C TL N N R E G 6 V T NH T .10 A J N TM M J U V H Y B figure 12 PATENTEDws 1 Ian sum 2 0F 2 figure 8 figure 7 LOUNGE SEATING UNIT AND WEB THEREFOR BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention pertains to collapsible furniture of the knock-down type which is sturdy and rigid, and which can be readily assembled and disassembled as the need arises. While prior art seating units of this general type are known, such units have been difficult to assemble and haVe lacked the necessary sturdiness and rigidity for quality furniture. It is an object of the present invention to obviate these shortcomings. Still other objects will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art upon reference to the ensuing specification, the drawings, and the claims.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates a seating unit which comprises a seating frame defined by a pair of upwardly extending spaced side panels detachably secured together by means of a cross brace. An articulated tufted web comprising a seat cushion and at least one arm cushion is draped over the seating frame and is provided with transverse loops at the extremities thereof, which loops are inserted through slots in the side panels and are retained therein by a locking means which holds the web captive on the seating frame. The seating frame is optionally provided with a back panel which can have a coextensive back cushion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a seating unit of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevationalview of a tufted, articulated web;

v FIG. 3 is a top view of the seating frame shown in FIG. I; 1

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of another embodiment of a seating frame;

FIG. 5 is a sectional elevation of the seating frame shown in FIG. 4 taken along lines V-V;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an arm chair embodyingthe present invention;

FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the seating frame shown in FIG. 6;

DESCRIPTION OF THE- PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 1, seating frame 10 is defined by upwardly-extending side panels 11 and 12, and a detachably-mounted cross-brace 13 held in place by suitable screw means or the like. An elongated, articulated, tufted web 14 is draped over frame 10 and wraps around the upper portion of side panels 11 and 12. As shown in FIG. 2, web 14 comprises a seat cushion I5 and one or more arm cushions l6 and 17 which flank or are situated adjacent to seat cushion 15.

Arm cushion 16 is provided with loop 18 which is formed along one side of arm cushion l6 and is adapted to pass through a slot in side panel 11 as will be discussed more fully hereinbelow. Similarly, loop 19 is formed along one side of arm cushion l7. Auxiliary loops 20 and 21 are optional and can be used to anchor seat cushion 15 to cross-brace 13 when the latter is in the form of a substantially horizontal panel as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. In such an event elongated slots 22 and 23 are provided in cross-brace l3 and are adapted to receive and pass therethrough auxiliary loops 20 and 21, respectively, which are then held in place by auxiliary locking means 24 and 25, respectively. Locking means 24 and 25 comprise an elongated rod or dowel which slips through a given loop and is retained therein, usually by friction.

An alternate embodiment of a seating frame within the purview of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 wherein side panels-26 and 27 are held in a spaced relationship by detachably mounted rods 28 and 29 which are retained in position by suitable screw means or the like. Support for a tufted web is provided in part by rods 28 and 29 and also by fabric web 30 which extends transversely across rods 28 and 29 and is supported thereby. Alternately fabric web 30 can be made integral with tufted web '14 by suitable reinforcing the bottom portion thereof and by providing loops along the longitudinal sides of seat cushion such as 15. The loops are then substantially coextensive with rods 28 and 29 which are removably inserted therewithin and, as a result, hold web 14 captive.

Side panel'26 (FIG. 5), as well as side panel 27 and also side panels 11 and I2 (FIG. I), are provided with elongated slot 31 which is adapted to receive therethrough terminal loops such as 18 and 19 of web 14 which loops are locked in place by means such as a dowel, an elongated rod, or the like.

FIG. 6 shows an arm chair 32 embodying the present invention. Chair 32 comprises side panels 33 and 34, a substantially-horizontal, flat cross-brace 35 detachably mounted between side panels 33 and 34, and a back panel 36, also detachably mounted by suitable screw means or the like. Tufted web 37 is draped over the seating frame defined-by panels 33 and 34, cross-brace 35, and back panel 36. Web 37 is of the type shown in FIG. 12 having an integral back cushion 38 and articulated arm cushions 39 and 40 and seat cushion 41.

Loop 42 of web 37 alongside arm cushion 39 extends through slot 43 in panel 33 (FIGS. 8 and 13) and is held therein by locking means 44 thereby holding web 37 and arm cushion 39 wrapped around the upper portion sive with back panel 36 and can wrap around the upper portion of back panel 36 if desired. Back cushion 38 is provided with loops 4S and 46 formed along one side thereof and adapted to pass through slots 48 and 47, respectively, in back panel 36. Loops 45 and 46 are held in place by a suitable locking means in the same manner as loop 42 shown in FIG. 13.

In an alternate embodiment shown in FIG. 11, back cushion 49 can be separate from web 50 comprising seat cushion 51 and arm cushions 52 and 53. In such an event and in order to further anchor seat cushion 51, loop 54 can be provided alongside cushion 51. Loop 54 is adapted to pass through a slot such as 55 (FIGS. 9 and provided in back panel 36. Loops 56 and 57 are adapted to pass through suitable slots such slot 43 in side panel 33 (FIG. 8) and a corresponding slot in side panel 34 (not shown). Similarly, loops 58 and 59 are adapted to pass trough slots such as slots 47 and 48 shown in FIGS. 7, 9 and 10.

The tufted, articulated webs can be manufactured from any suitable material such as canvas, said cloth,-

naugahyde, nylon, and the like, and filled with foam rubber, polyurethane foam, kapok, and the like. The seat frames can be made of any structurally rigid material such as wood, metal, various synthetic materials, and the like.

The foregoing discussion and the drawings are illustrative. Still other variations and arrangements of parts will readily present themselves to one skilled in the art.

We claim: I

l. A knock-down type seating unit comprising a pair of spaced, upwardly-extending side panels each provided with a substantially horizontal slot therein, a flat, substantially horizontal seat panel provided with a pair of transversely extending slots near the ends thereof, detachably secured between said side panels and together with saId side panels defining a seating frame; a substantially rectangular articulated tufted web draped over said seating frame and comprising at least one seat cushion and a pair of arm cushions flanking the seat cushion on two opposite sides thereof; a loop formed along each transverse side .of the web and removably inserted through said slots in said side panels; a locking means removably inserted in said loop so as to hold said web captive in said side panels; an

.auxiliary loop formed at each juncture of seat cushion and arm cushion and removably inserted through said transversely extending slot in said seat panel; and an auxiliary loop locking means removably inserted in said auxiliary loop so as to hold said web captive in said seat panel.

2. The seating unit in accordance with claim 1 additionally provided with an upwardly extending back panel situated between said side panels and detachably secured thereto.

3. The seating unit in accordance with claim 2 wherein a back cushion integral with said tufted web is provided and is removably attached to said back panel and is substantially coextensive therewith.

4. The seating unit in accordance with claim 3 wherein a loop is formed along at least one side of the back cushion, wherein the back panel is provided with at least one elongated slot adapted to receive therethrough the back cushion loop, wherein the back cushion loop is removably inserted through said slot in the back panel, and wherein a back cushion locking means is removably inserted in said back cushion loop so as to hold the back cushion captive in said back panel. 

1. A knock-down type seating unit comprising a pair of spaced, upwardly-extending side panels each provided with a substantially horizontal slot therein, a flat, substantially horizontal seat panel provided with a pair of transversely extending slots near the ends thereof, detachably secured between said side panels and together with saId side panels defining a seating frame; a substantially rectangular articulated tufted web draped over said seating frame and comprising at least one seat cushion and a pair of arm cushions flanking the seat cushion on two opposite sides thereof; a loop formed along each transverse side of the web and removably inserted through said slots in said side panels; a locking means removably inserted in said loop so as to hold said web captive in said side panels; an auxiliary loop formed at each juncture of seat cushion and arm cushion and removably inserted through said transversely extending slot in said seat panel; and an auxiliary loop locking means removably inserted in said auxiliary loop so as to hold said web captive in said seat panel.
 2. The seating unit in accordance with claim 1 additionally provided with an upwardly extending back panel situated between said side panels and detachably secured thereto.
 3. The seating unit in accordance with claim 2 wherein a back cushion integral with said tufted web is provided and is removably attached to said back panel and is substantially coextensive therewith.
 4. The seating unit in accordance with claim 3 wherein a loop is formed along at least one side of the back cushion, wherein the back panel is provided with at least one elongated slot adapted to receive therethrough the back cushion loop, wherein the back cushion loop is removably inserted through said slot in the back panel, and wherein a back cushion locking means is removably inserted in said back cushion loop so as to hold the back cushion captive in said back panel. 